For immediate release

DALLAS–Dallas has officially joined the ranks of cities and towns across the country that have taken on the challenge of ultimately becoming “no kill,” with the goal of ending the killing of homeless dogs and cats.

Following the lead of cities like San Francisco, Austin, New York and Richmond, the City of Dallas has created an official task force, the Dallas Companion Animal Project (Dallas CAP), charged with developing a blueprint for ending the killing of adoptable animals.

“Our goal is to guide the community in identifying and increasing easily accessible programs that will allow us to stop the killing of healthy, treatable companion animals,” said Rebecca Poling, chair of the task force and a member of the Animal Shelter Commission.

To do that, Dallas CAP will focus on getting the community more involved on all levels: reducing the number of animals given up and abandoned by their owners; making it easier and more affordable for owners to spay and neuter their pets; increasing the number of stray and loose animals returned to their owners; offering options to people considering giving up their pets; and increasing the number of animals adopted and those transferred to other shelters and humane organizations.

This past year, 20,684 dogs and cats—or 75 percent of the 28,392 companion animals that ended up in the City’s shelter—were put to death simply because there weren’t enough homes for them.

Ending the killing of adoptable animals is not about any one shelter becoming no kill,” said Poling. “It’s about the entire community coming together and embracing all the components of a successful plan: spay/neuter, education, adoption and rescue, owner retention, behavior hotlines, responsible pet ownership.

“No single agency or organization can possibly be responsible for all the components necessary to make Dallas no kill. We’re looking for individuals, businesses, corporations, associations, nonprofits, advocacy groups and animal-welfare organizations willing to be a part of this effort by lending their names and encouraging others to do the same.”

The City of Dallas is ready to make the move towards no kill said Joey Zapata, Interim Assistant City Manager. “We have a new Mayor who firmly believes that Dallas should have the goal of becoming no kill; a City Council committed to supporting the task force; and a new shelter manager, Jody Jones, who played a leading role in making Richmond, VA, a no-kill community.”

Jones knows from her experience in Richmond that in addition to saving lives, reducing euthanasia rates community-wide would have other benefits as well.

“Working together to develop a successful no-kill plan will engage the community in the welfare of our animals and make Dallas a more pet-friendly place to live,” said Jones. “It will save taxpayer dollars and result in a more educated and informed public. It also will encourage private/public partnerships, and, most important, it will improve the quality of life for companion animals and people in the City of Dallas.”

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I’m so happy to see this announcement! Would love to see a fostering program in place, TNR for feral cats, more adoption events coordinated with rescue groups (like the successful State Fair event with DFW Rescue Me). Very good news!

We need to better understand and gain support from landlords and apartment rental communities who will not or for some unknown reason cannot accept pets. The foreclosure crisis is forcing home owners into the rental market, with fewer options if they have pets.I am not prepared to address or discuss the need of lifting breed restrictions. I am referring to the brood issue that exists for displaced homeowners that need to find residency and be able to keep their pets. Perhaps there are grants available to these apartment communities or private landlords that would assist them in paying higher insurance premiums so they can allow people to keep their pets.

IT’s ABOUT TIME!!
It makes me sick to see that 23,000 animals have been euthanized due to the neglect of their owners and citizens apathy… I am happy to see that something is finally being done!! Feral Programs for cats works!! — WE started a program (with our complex’s mgmts assistance) in North Dallas – Five years ago — and to date we have adopted 70 kittens and spade/neutered all 70 kittens plus 20 feral cats from the complex…. This program has made life living in apts so much nicer — we sleep at night without hearing the cats fighting with one another — due to scavaging for food, or during mating sessions, the cats keep the critters and varmits as you will at bay — no rats alive have been found..!!!! …. and also we have had great great support from the Kaufman Animal Clinic so the expense has been so much less and reasonable making the program a success….
PLEASE DO GET THIS PROGRAM FROM PLANNING – TO ACTION ASAP — It would be such a win-win for the city of Dallas, for the citizens of Dallas, and for our precious animals, pets and companions that live in Dallas……
Thank you for bringing this NO-KILL attitude to Dallas, and for hopefully adding us to the select cities around the country that are doing the right thing – instead of the easiest thing……